Changer things: Kazakhstan’s second republic
Recent changes to Kazakhstan’s constitution seem to weaken the president’s powers. Yet there are reasons to fear they will be mere window dressing for the continuation of authoritarianism
Wider Europe
Russia’s long shadow in the Sahel
The EU’s values-led foreign policy and its stabilisation objectives in the Sahel are in tension with each other. Russia is now waiting to exploit that tension
Deeds not words: Why the West should keep a close eye on Lukashenka
Recent military activity in Belarus, combined with Putin’s leverage over Lukashenka, suggests an ongoing threat of Belarusian troops joining hostilities in Ukraine
Closed-skies diplomacy: What the Western Balkans can do for the EU
The still-incomplete web of allies and institutions that the EU has woven in the Balkans in the last 30 years is not only strong but also valuable to its geopolitical struggle against Russia
Putin’s war at home: Censorship and disinformation
To counter the Kremlin’s information campaign in Russia, European policymakers need to account for individual and group psychology
7 Jun
Belarus after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: The challenge of dual political identity
How to effectively separate the Belarusian society from the regime when taking sanctions measures? Will the independence of Belarus survive international isolation left alone with an expansionist Russia?
The new Davos man: Ukraine, energy, and global powers
What were this World Economic forum’s biggest themes? Which discussions on the Ukraine crisis were the most convincing?
The meaning of victory: How Russia’s war on Ukraine could divide Europeans
Support for Ukraine is both morally correct and in the best interests of the EU. Europeans should use this moment of unity to address several long-term challenges linked to the conflict
Five reasons driving European defence integration after the Ukraine invasion
The shock of the Ukraine war, rising national defence budgets, and a European Commission in the driving seat could finally bring about true European defence integration and consolidation
European solidarity and the Russia-Ukraine war
How sustainable is European unity? And what scenarios of solidarity or division can be expected in the next few months?